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9th December 2015

Singapore Economy

Entrepreneurs rank S'pore highly

Singapore is ranked sixth on the list of global economies that entrepreneurs consider to present the best opportunity for starting and running a successful business. According to the 2016 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneur Report, Singapore entrepreneurs are the most cautious relative to their peers regarding their corporate margins in the coming 12 months, with the lowest expectation at 20.9 per cent, compared to a global average of 29.0 per cent.

The mood in the real estate sector has been mostly gloomy for a while but sentiment has clearly improved from this time last year with talk that prices could start bouncing off the bottom. There were 5,510 private property resales in the 11 months to Nov 30, up 20.8 per cent from the same period last year, according to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Resale prices of non-landed private homes in Core Central Region (CCR) and the city-fringe have been more resilient so far this year compared to those in the suburbs. Based on the November flash estimates released by SRX Property on Tuesday, its price index for resale non-landed private homes in CCR rose 1.6 per cent from December 2014 to November 2015.

Singapore builders are entering 2016 with another wall of debt coming due, falling confidence and declining earnings. After a record $9.6 billion of bonds were repaid this year, the industry faces $6.4 billion of maturities next year, $2.3 billion in 2017 and $7.4 billion in 2018, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.

Proposals for the third edition of the Good Neighbours Project, which encourages bonding among residents in the heartlands, are wanted, said the Housing and Development Board (HDB). HDB invited the public to submit their ideas on how to form lasting relationships with their neighbours on Tuesday (Dec 8).

City Developments' (CDL) H2 FY15 share-price weakness is arguably caused by a tepid office market. We cut revalued net asset value (RNAV) to S$12.22 from S$12.72 to capture lower investment-property valuations. This lowers our TP to S$10.40, still at a 15 per cent discount to RNAV.

Agriculture and property company HLH has, through a subsidiary in Cambodia, acquired a 30 per cent interest in two plots of land in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia, for US$2.8 million (S$4 million). The two plots are 4,295 sq m and 5,427 sq m respectively.

After almost five years of a housing slump, the Vietnam market is roaring back to life and with the New Housing Law and Real Estate Business Law that has removed critical obstacles to foreign property ownership, many foreign developers are zeroing in on the market again.

Roxy-pacific Holdings' overseas expansion is gathering pace with yet another property acquisition in Australia within a short span of time. The homegrown boutique developer said on Tuesday that it has acquired two residential development sites - No 14 Cowper Street and No 8 Elger Street, Glebe, south-west of the Sydney CBD - for a total of A$67.38 million (S$68.38 million). The purchase was made through wholly owned indirect subsidiary Roxy Gordon Pty Ltd.